Langston Hughes

"Simple on Indian Blood"

Actor Ossie Davis reads "Simple on Indian Blood," one of the "Simple" stories
of Langston Hughes. Famous today for his poetry, Hughes also wrote protest
columns. Jesse B. Semple, Hughes's quintessential Harlem resident, first
appeared in the Chicago Defender newspaper. Semple's character became popular
nationwide and over his lifetime Hughes produced five books and a Broadway
play based on the "Simple Stories." Often set as dialogues, the humorous
stories feature an overly reasonable, conciliatory narrator who comes into
conflict with the outspoken and intransigent Jesse B. Semple.

"A Toast to Harlem"

"A Toast to Harlem," one of the "Simple" stories by Langston Hughes, read
by actor Ossie Davis. Originally written as a newspaper column, this story
revels in the Harlem of the 1940s, describing the neighborhood's joys and
frustrations. Like the other "Simple Stories," this tale stars "Jesse B.
Semple," a homespun philosopher, who engages in a dialogue with a mild-
mannered narrator. Hughes himself was an influential figure in the Harlem
Renaissance, a literary and artistic movement that also produced Countee
Cullen, Richard Wright, and Zora Neale Hurston.

"Last Whipping"

"Last Whipping" by Langston Hughes is read by actor Ossie Davis. This is
one of the "Simple" stories, originally written as a newspaper feature.
This humorous and somewhat sentimental dialogue stars the character of
Jesse B. Semple, who describes a teenaged altercation with his aunt over
a chicken. Over his lifetime, Langston Hughes produced books of poetry,
social commentaries, novels, plays, and musical productions.

"Feet Live Their Own Life"

"Feet Live Their Own Life" by Langston Hughes is read by Ossie Davis. In
this "Simple" story, the character of Jesse B. Semple discusses the subject
of feet -- how you can tell a man's life by his feet, and of the many
things his feet have done for him. (This includes kicking in a white man's
window during the 1943 riots in Harlem.) As with all of Hughes's "Simple"
stories, this piece is cast as a dialogue between the activist Jesse B.
Semple and a more conservative narrator.